Former Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas moved up to fourth place in the Tirreno-Adriatico after coming 10th on stage three in Italy.
The Ineos Grenadiers rider finished alongside fellow Grand Tour champion Simon Yates in a nine-strong group, 20 seconds behind winner Michael Woods.
The Canadian EF Pro Cycling rider has a five-second lead over Poland’s Rafal Majka in the general classification.
Thomas is 30 seconds behind, with Yates ninth overall on the same time.
Chris Froome, who is riding as a domestique in the race, finished over 18 minutes down.
The eight-day Tirreno-Adriatico serves as preparation for the Giro d’Italia, which Thomas and Yates – the 2018 Vuelta a Espana champion from Yorkshire – are both racing in.
Four-time Tour de France winner Froome and 2018 champion Thomas were left out of Ineos’ team for the ongoing Grand Tour race in France.
Welshman Thomas, 34, will go for his second Grand Tour triumph at the postponed Giro, which begins on 3 October, while Froome will lead Ineos as he aims for his third Vuelta a Espana victory from 20 October.
Stage three result
1. Michael Woods (Can/ EF Pro Cycling) 5hrs 19mins 46secs
2. Rafal Majka (Pol/ BORA – hansgrohe) +1secs
3. Wilco Kelderman (Ned/ Team Sunweb) +20secs
4. Patrick Konrad (Aut/ BORA – hansgrohe) same time
5. Aleksander Vlasov (Rus/ Astana Pro Team)
General classification
1. Michael Woods (Can/ EF Pro Cycling) 13hrs 19mins 24secs
2. Rafal Majka (Pol/ BORA – hansgrohe) +5secs
3. Wilco Kelderman (Ned/ Team Sunweb) +26secs
5. Geraint Thomas (GB/ INEOS Grenadiers) +30secs
9. Simon Yates (GB/ Mitchelton-Scott) same time